NY State Senate Bill 2021-S6849

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to finance
May 19, 2021	referred to finance

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §94-d, Exec L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2023-2024: S2003
2025-2026: S4386

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes an office of sustainability to coordinate efforts across state agencies and other state government entities to address climate change mitigation and climate sustainability efforts.

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6849

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing an office
of sustainability

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that state government in New York
strives for environmentally sustainable practices within its own build-
ings, vehicles and for the public health of its personnel as a long-term
practice, through the establishment of an office of sustainability.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

A new section 94-d is added to the executive law to create an office of
sustainability to coordinate and lead practices across all state agen-
cies and government entities for environmental sustainability, including
efforts to mitigate climate change, as a management policy and for the
public health of all personnel.

The office would reside within the department of state. The secretary
would appoint a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to lead the efforts
of the state toward the goals of the legislation. The CSO would also act
as New York's representative to the United States Climate Alliance and
other national organizations focused on climate science and sustainabil-
ity research. The CSO would also work with the members of the climate
action council established pursuant to section 75-0103 of the environ-
mental conservation law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The coordination across state agencies of efforts to maintain energy
efficiency in buildings and vehicles and other entities is the purview
of sustainability offices across the country and within the federal
government as well. New York has directives for energy efficiency and
laws creating dean energy targets for the state as a whole; however,
there is no central office whose singular mission is to coordinate the
best practices for sustainability, climate change mitigation, and envi-
ronmental stewardship throughout state government, including all of the
buildings and the vehicle fleet the state owns and/or manages.  Addi-
tionally, in the wake of the COVID pandemic, sustainability measures can
also serve to maintain public health for the state's 300,000+ state
employees.

With regard to energy usage, in 2012 the Governor's Executive Order 88
directed the New York Power Authority to create a Central Management and
Implementation Team (CMIT) to have all Affected State Entities reduce
energy use by at least 20% by April 2020 and to submit annual reports on
progress toward that target. The goals of this EO are now superseded and
strengthened by the state's Climate Law, (Ch.106 /Laws of 2019 the
"CLCPA"); however, the Climate Law does not provide for overall sustain-
ability measures that go beyond clean energy usage by the state itself.

In addition to managing energy efficiency efforts, a statewide office of
sustainability can lead the state's ongoing and longterm efforts toward:
modernization of vehicle fleet; waste reduction efforts; air quality in
buildings; water usage reduction; and all facets of environmental and
public health measures that collectively constitute sustainable manage-
ment of our state government entities.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined. The establishment of the office of sustainability
could be made within existing appropriations for the department of state
or through future appropriations.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
January 1st after enactment.

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6849
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 19, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing an office
   of sustainability
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  The executive law is amended by adding a new section 94-d
 to read as follows:
   § 94-D. OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.  1. PURPOSE. IT SHALL BE THE PURPOSE
 OF THE OFFICE TO COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS ALL AGENCIES AND OTHER  STATE
 GOVERNMENT  ENTITIES  TO  ADDRESS  CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND CLIMATE
 SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.
   2. DEFINITIONS.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION "OFFICE" SHALL  MEAN
 THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY CREATED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   3.  OFFICE  OF SUSTAINABILITY; CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER.  THERE IS
 HEREBY CREATED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AN OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILI-
 TY. THE SECRETARY SHALL APPOINT A CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER  OF  THE
 OFFICE  TO  ACCOMPLISH THE DUTIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION.  SUCH CHIEF
 SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL RECEIVE AN  ANNUAL  SALARY  WITHIN  AMOUNTS
 APPROPRIATED AND SHALL SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE SECRETARY.
   4.  ORGANIZATION OF THE OFFICE.  THE SECRETARY SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO
 ESTABLISH, CONSOLIDATE, REORGANIZE, OR ABOLISH ANY ORGANIZATIONAL  UNITS
 WITHIN  THE  OFFICE  AS THEY DETERMINE TO BE NECESSARY FOR THE EFFICIENT
 OPERATION OF SUCH OFFICE.  THE SECRETARY SHALL ASSIGN FUNCTIONS  TO  ANY
 SUCH  UNIT  AND  MAY  APPOINT  STAFF, AGENTS, AND CONSULTANTS, PRESCRIBE
 THEIR DUTIES, AND FIX THEIR COMPENSATION WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED.
   5. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE.  THE OFFICE SHALL HAVE  THE  POWER
 AND DUTY TO:
   (A) REVIEW RULES AND REGULATIONS OF STATE AGENCIES AND SUBMIT PROPOSED
 AMENDMENTS  AND/OR ADDITIONS OF SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS TO SUCH AGEN-
 CIES FOR CONSIDERATION THAT THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL  DEEM
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD09737-02-1

 S. 6849                             2
 
 APPROPRIATE  OR  NECESSARY  TO HELP MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
 CHANGE AND PROMOTE CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY;
   (B) COORDINATE POLICY TO PROMOTE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABIL-
 ITY  ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF GENERAL
 SERVICES, THE NEW YORK STATE ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT  AUTHORITY,
 THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL  CONSERVATION,  AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
 STATE;
   (C) WORK WITH STATE  AGENCIES  AND  DEPARTMENTS  TO  ENSURE  EFFECTIVE
 IMPLEMENTATION AND ACHIEVEMENT OF STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND STATE GOALS
 RELATED TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION;
   (D)  COORDINATE  IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE
 STATE FACILITY AND VEHICLE FLEET EFFICIENCY, PROMOTE ADOPTION OF  ENERGY
 EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES, AND MODERNIZE STATE FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS;
   (E)  DESIGN  AND  SHARE WITH STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS STRATEGIES
 THAT CAN BE USED TO LEVERAGE STATE FACILITIES AND ASSETS TO ADVANCE  THE
 CONSERVATION  OF  NATURAL  RESOURCES  AND  HIGHLIGHT BEST ENVIRONMENTAL,
 TECHNOLOGICAL AND POLICY STRATEGIES TO REACH THE  HIGHEST  ENERGY  EFFI-
 CIENCY STANDARDS REASONABLY POSSIBLE;
   (F)  DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES TO PLAN FOR AND MITIGATE ENTERPRISE
 RISKS WHILE REDUCING WASTE AND TO HELP STRENGTHEN COMMERCIAL,  CULTURAL,
 AND POLITICAL COOPERATION AND ENGAGEMENT;
   (G)  ADVISE OTHER STATE AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR
 ENVIRONMENTAL  REGULATORY  COMPLIANCE,   REPORTING,   PARTNERSHIPS   AND
 OUTREACH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION;
   (H)  ASSIST  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE IN REDUCING ITS USE OF NATURAL
 RESOURCES THROUGH IMPROVING ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY,  AND  PROVIDING
 DATA AND TOOLS THAT PROTECT THE HEALTH OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S PERSON-
 NEL AND EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES;
   (I) PARTNER WITH PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UNIVER-
 SITIES,  AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
 ACROSS THE STATE;
   (J) PARTICIPATE IN INTER-AGENCY WORKING GROUPS THAT  DEVELOP  ENVIRON-
 MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDANCE FOR STATE AGENCIES;
   (K)  ACT  AS  A  REPRESENTATIVE OF NEW YORK STATE AT THE UNITED STATES
 CLIMATE ALLIANCE AND  OTHER  NATIONAL  AND  INTERNATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS
 FOCUSED  ON  CLIMATE  SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH AND GOALS THAT
 THE CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE;
   (L) INFORM THE GOVERNOR, SECRETARY, LEGISLATURE,  AND  STATE  AGENCIES
 AND  OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES OF THE LATEST RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTS
 IN THE FIELD OF CLIMATE SCIENCE; AND
   (M) ADVISE AND ASSIST THE NEW YORK STATE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL ESTAB-
 LISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 75-0103 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW
 IN SUCH DUTIES OF SUCH COUNCIL THAT  THE  CHIEF  SUSTAINABILITY  OFFICER
 SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S6849

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

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2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Rachel May

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Actions

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Details

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2021-S6849 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments